Cargo tie-down attachment bracket

ABSTRACT

A readily adjustable and removable cargo tie-down attachment bracket to be secured to a vehicle such as one side wall of the cargo space of a pick-up truck for securing an end of a cargo tie-down cord or the like. The bracket has a tension member such as a strap with anchor means such as a hook on one end for engaging a shoulder on the vehicle to releasably secure the strap end to the vehicle, hold-down means such as a suction cup on the other strap end for releasably holding the latter strap end against the vehicle, and a tie-down attachment member such as a hook on the strap to which the tie-down may be secured. The bracket may be readily moved from one location to another on the vehicle and removed from the vehicle when not in use.

United States Patent 11 1 [1 1 3,797,859 squ z 1 Mar. 19, 1974 CARGOTIE-DOWN ATTACHMENT Primary Examiner-Robert R. Song BRACKET Attorney,Agent, or FirmBoniard I. Brown [76] Inventor: Richard A. Vasquez, 1905S.

Walnut St., San Gabriel, Calif. 57 ABSTRACT 91775 A readily adjustableand removable cargo tie-down at- [22] Filed: 1971 tachment bracket to besecured to a vehicle such as 2 APPL 200 402 one side wall of the cargospace of a pick-up truck for securing an end of a cargo tie-down cord orthe like. The bracket has a tension member such as a strap with [52] US.Cl. 280/179 R, 248/361 R anchor means such as a hook on one end forengaging [51] hit. Cl 860p 7/00 a shoulder on the vehicle to releasablySecure the [58] held of Seal-chm" 280/179 179 A; 296/100; strap end tothe vehicle, hold-down means such as a 248/475 361 R suction cup on theother strap end for releasably holding the latter strap end against thevehicle, and a tie- [5 6} References C'ted down attachment member suchas a hook on the strap UNlTED STATES PATENTS to which the tie-down maybe secured. The bracket 3,393835 7/1968 Kantor 296/ 100 may be readilymoved from one location to another on 3,225,475 12/1965 Shank 248/467the vehicle and removed from the vehicle when not in 3,368,785 2/1968Weller i 280/l79 R u e, 2.465.621 3/1949 Wheeler 280/179 R 3 Claims, 4Drawing Figures PATENIEDMAR w 9 mm 37972859 INVENTOR Rwy/age A. mam/2CARGO TIE-DOWN ATTACHMENT BRACKET 7 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Fieldof the Invention This invention relates generally to cargo tie-downdevices for vehicles and more particularly to a novel adjustable andremovable cargo tie-down attachment bracket for securing one end of acargo tie-down to the vehicle.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art Pick-up trucks and other vehicles oftentransport cargo which must be secured in position by means of tie-downs,such as cords, ropes or the like whose ends 1 must be attached to thevehicle. Some vehicles are equipped with tie-down attachment means forthis purpose. Examples of tie-down attachment means are found in thefollowing US. Pat. Nos. 957,804; l.699,290; 1,973,624; 3,154,026 and3,378,889.

Many vehicles are not equipped with such tie-down attachment means.Also, those vehicles which are so equipped often require additionalattachment means for proper lashing of the cargo.

SUMMARY OV THE INVENTION The present invention provides a novel cargotiedown attachment bracket which may be readily installed on and removedfrom a vehicle as well as moved from one location to another on thevehicle for anchoring or securing the end of a cargo tie-down to thevehicle. The bracket has a tension member such as a flexible fabricstrap, with anchor means on one end for releasably anchoring or securingthe strap end to the vehicle. On the other end of the strap is ahold-down for holding the latter strap end against the vehicle. Atiedown attachment member is secured to the strap adja' cent its latterend for anchoring one end of a cargo tiedown. The tie down, whentensioned to secure the cargo, exerts on the bracket strap a pullingforce which is resisted by the bracket anchor means.

In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the tiedown bracket anchormeans is a hook which projects beyond one side of the bracket strap forengaging a shoulder or other abutment on the vehicle. The strap materialof the bracket covers the hook to prevent the latter from marring thevehicle. The hold-down means of the bracket is a suction cup on the sideof the strap beyond which the anchor hook projects. The tie-downattachment member is a hook secured to the opposite side of the strap.

The disclosed tie-down bracket is installed on one side wall of thecargo space of a pick-up truck. The anchor hook of the bracket engagesunder the lower edge of the side wall. and the hold-down suction cup issecured to the outer side wall surface above the lower wall edge. Thetie-down attachment hook is located on the outer side and adjacent theupper end of the bracket strap for anchoring attachment to one end of atie-down extending over the cargo space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apresent cargo tiedown attachment bracket;

FIG, 2 is a section taken along line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates the bracket installed on a vehicle; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 44 in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The illustrated cargo tie-downattachment bracket 10 has a tension member 12, in this case a strap,which is preferably a flexible fabric strap constructed of canvas orother fabric material with a high tensile strength. Secured to the lowerend of the strap is an anchor means 14 in the form of a hook. Hook 14has a generally L- shape and includes a leg 16 which parallels the strap12 and a right angle leg 18 which extends normal to leg 16 beyond oneside, hereafter referred to as the inner side,

of the strap. The outer end of leg 18 turns upwardly to form a lip 20.The lower end of the strap 12 extends downwardly along the outer side ofthe hook leg 16, then under the leg 18, then upwardly around the lip 20,and finally inwardly along the upper side of leg 18 and upwardly alongthe inner side of leg 16. The strap thus covers the anchor hook and issecured to the hook by means of rivets 22. The upper end of the strap 12has a double thickness, as shown.

On the upper end of the strap 12 is a hold-down means 24 in the form ofa suction cup. Suction cup 24 is located at the inner side of the strapand is secured to the strap by a screw 26. At the outer side of thestrap, adjacent its upper end, is a cargo tie-down attachment member 28.The illustrated attachment member is a hook having a base plate 30secured by rivets 32 to the strap.

The drawings illustrate the tie-down attachment bracket 10 installed ona pick-up truck 34 having a rear cargo space with upstanding side walls36 (only one shown). The side walls have lower shoulder edges 38. Asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bracket is located in a generally verticalattitude at the outer side of one side wall 36 with the lower bracketanchor hook l4 engaging under the lower side wall shoulder edge 38. Thesuction cup 24 is secured to the outer surface of the side wall abovethe shoulder edge to hold the upper end of the bracket strap 12 againstthe side wall. A cargo tie down 40, such as a rope, is secured at oneend to the tie-down attachment hook 28, passes over the cargo 42 in thecargo space, and is secured at its other end to a tie-down attachmentbracket (not shown) at the opposite side of the vehicle. It will beobserved that the strap 12 provides a protective cover or sheath aboutthe anchor hook 14 to prevent the latter from marring the vehicle.

What is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent 1. A readilyadjustable and removable cargo tie-down attachment bracket for a vehiclecomprising:

a tension member comprising a flexible strap, anchor means on one end ofsaid member for releasably securing said member end to the vehicle toresist a pulling force on the other end of said member, said anchormeans comprising a hook projecting beyond one side of said strap forengaging a shoulder on said vehicle, hold-down means comprising asuction cup on said one side of said other member end for releasably andslidably holding the latter member end against the vehicle, and atie-down attachment hook element on the other side and adjacent saidother end of said strap to which a tie down may be secured,

said strap covering said anchor hook to prevent the latter hook frommarring the vehicle.

2. In combination:

a vehicle,

an adjustable tie-down bracket on said vehicle including a tensionmember comprising a flexible strap having an inner side facing thevehicle and an outer side,

anchor means comprising a hook on one end of said member and projectingbeyond said inner side of said strap and engaging a shoulder on saidvehicle to releasably secure said member end to said vehicle,

hold-down means comprising a suction cup on the inner side of the otherstrap end and engaging said vehicle to releasably and slidably hold thelatter strap end against the vehicle,

a tiedown attachment hook member on said outer side and adjacent saidother end of said strap,

said strap covering said anchor hook to prevent the latter hook frommarring said vehicle. and

said anchor meand and hold-down means being readily releasable from saidvehicle to permit movement of said bracket from one location to anotheron said vehicle.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein:

said vehicle comprises a pick-up truck having a rear cargo space boundedby upstanding side walls with lower edges, and

said bracket is located at the outer side of one side wall with saidanchor hook engaging under the lower side wall edge and said suction cupsecured to the outer side wall surface above said lower edge.

1. A readily adjustable and removable cargo tie-down attachment bracketfor a vehicle comprising: a tension member comprising a flexible strap,anchor means on one end of said member for releasably securing saidmember end to the vehicle to resist a pulling force on the other end ofsaid member, said anchor means comprising a hook projecting beyond oneside of said strap for engaging a shoulder on said vehicle, hold-downmeans comprising a suction cup on said one side of said other member endfor releasably and slidably holding the latter member end against thevehicle, and a tie-down attachment hook element on the other side andadjacent said other end of said strap to which a tie down may besecured, said strap covering said anchor hook to prevent the latter hookfrom marring the vehicle.
 2. In combination: a vehicle, an adjustabletie-down bracket on said vehicle including a tension member comprising aflexible strap having an inner side facing the vehicle and an outerside, anchor means comprising a hook on one end of said member andprojecting beyond said inner side of said strap and engaging a shoulderon said vehicle to releasably secure said member end to said vehicle,hold-down means comprising a suction cup on the inner side of the otherstrap end and engaging said vehicle to releasably and slidably hold thelatter strap end against the vehicle, a tie-down attachment hook memberon said outer side and adjacent said other end of said strap, said strapcovering said anchor hook to prevent the latter hook from marring saidvehicle, and said anchor meand and hold-down means being readilyreleasable from said vehicle to permit movement of said bracket from onelocation to another on said vehicle.
 3. The combination according toclaim 2 wherein: said vehicle comprises a pick-up truck having a rearcargo space bounded by upstanding side walls with lower edges, and saidbracket is located at the outer side of one side wall with said anchorhook engaging under the lower side wall edge and said suction cupsecured to the outer side wall surface above said lower edge.